Lacson corrects Bongbong: PCGG only for Marcos family

ORMOC CITY, Leyte —Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday contradicted his political rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s proposal that the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) should also go after other individuals, and not just the Marcos family.

At a press conference in Ormoc City Hall after their courtesy call on Mayor Richard Gomez, Lacson said that going after other alleged corrupt individuals is not covered by the mandate of the PCGG, but of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

“Wala (‘yon sa mandate ng PCGG). Actually, ‘yung PCGG was created to run after the Marcos wealth. Kung i-expand, mayroon naman tayong PACC na, ‘di ba? Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and mayroon tayong [Office of the] Ombudsman, mayroon tayong Sandiganbayan,” Lacson said when asked to react on Marcos’ idea.

(Running after other corrupt government officials is not within PCGG's mandate.  Actually, the commission was created to run after the Marcos wealth. If they want to expand it, we already have the PACC, and we already have the Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan.)

“Well, anybody who becomes a president can create by way of an Executive Order kung ano ang agency na gusto niyang i-create to address specific problems or issues,” he Lacson added. 

His running-mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III concurred with Lacson's statement.

In an interview on CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Marcos stressed that issues about his family’s ill-gotten wealth are already in the courts.

“Instead of directing themselves against the Marcoses only, I mean kung meron akong corrupt na kamag-anak, eh di lalabas ang pangalan niya but not only us, lahat,” he said.

(Instead of directing themselves against the Marcoses only, I mean if I have a corrupt relative, his name will come out, but not only us. Should be everyone.)

“Nasa ibang panahon na tayo eh. Hindi na ‘yun (ill-gotten wealth) ang issue. Ang issue is just graft and corruption in the government,” he added.

(We are in another period. That (ill-gotten wealth) is no longer the issue. The issue is just graft and corruption in the government.)

PCGG was created by then President Corazon Aquino in 1986 to recover the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his family, relatives, subordinates, and close associates.

In 2019, PCGG said it recovered P172 billion in ill-gotten wealth from the Marcos family.

Earlier, Bongbong Marcos said he plans to strengthen the role of PCGG by providing a bigger budget and additional manpower.

“They’re already there. Eh 'di gamitin mo na. Patibayin mo pa para talagang meron kang agency na walang ginawa kundi nagbabantay na walang gumagawa ng kalokohan,” he said.

(The PCGG is already there. Use it. Strengthen it so can focus on its work against wrongdoers in government.) 

Likewise, Marcos Jr. said that he will set an example by not tolerating graft and corruption in his administration.

“Leading by example is very simple. Do not tolerate this kind of ‘yung ginagawa na kinukuha ‘yung pera ng gobyerno. At a lower level in bureaucracies, if we improve the efficiency, ang ideal diyan lalo na sa lower levels, walang fixer,” Marcos Jr. said.

“At a higher level it goes back to the people you choose. Meron talaga diyan walang inisip kung hindi ‘Paano tayo kikita rito?’ Huwag tayong kukuha ng mga ganun. At kung meron mang nakalusot na may ginawa, parusahan mo,” he added. —LBG, GMA News